Marijuana advocates debate a new legalization effort

Marijuana advocates debate a new legalization effort

www.latimes.com

The initiative was spearheaded and financially backed by Richard Lee, a successful Oakland medical marijuana entrepreneur who made the key decisions on the legal language. It drew opposition from some prominent defense lawyers who said it did not go far enough to decriminalize marijuana, and from some operators of medical marijuana dispensaries who worried that it would undercut their lucrative businesses and lead to more bans on stores.

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California is not giving up on this issue. Prop 19, last year's ballot Initiative lost by a 54 - 46% margin. Part of the reason for the loss is due to counter-support by the medical mj dispensaries now looking to protect their own new profit-making businesses.

Saturday's conference, sponsored by the California chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, was aimed at reaching out to marijuana legalization activists, medical marijuana growers and dispensary operators, many of whom opposed the last measure.

Economics continues to trump good sense. Many of those who were in the past fully supportive of such a measure now see it as a threat to their earnings in this otherwise bleak economy. TPTB has known for a long time there is big money in medicine, you must pay the price to feel well.

Medicine is all about big business. Activists return to planning their next efforts, this time considering their new foes, their own folks who have now tasted economic success being on the supply side of the issue. These are the new turncoats in the war against the war. The smell of money is the smell of defeat against greed.

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For California this, like Prop 19, is a legalization issue, it goes beyond the medical marijuana laws that currently permit Californians to grow and use pot, literally for whatever ails them. These efforts are aimed at bringing an alternative recreational drug to the people of California who are tired of an alcohol culture.

But to further their quest they need to be able to count on the medical users' support to get their measure passed. They need the support of medical mj growers and suppliers who have found a new profit source and who have now become a rising lobbying power against the legalization proponents.

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The conference drew about 300 attendees, including Yamileth Bolanos, a dispensary operator from Los Angeles. Like others in the business who came to the event, she said she wants to be sure that medical marijuana is not undercut by a legalization initiative. "We shouldn't be stomped on or used as a stepping stone to get to where they want to go," she said.

Jones said medical marijuana patients are crucial to the success of any initiative because they can reach out to voters to dispel myths about marijuana. "It's largely going to be the messaging through the medical community and those that love them that can put this over the top," she said.

Another time around for California in the next elections. Another time to go up against their new foes in their battle for marijuana legalization, the marijuana growers themselves.

Thanks for letting us know California is not giving up. I have taken care of cancer patients that had less side effects from chemo and radiation when marijuana was introduced. Even tho medical marijuana is not legal in the state where I did nursing, the patients doctors would tell them off the record to use marijuana. I don't understand the big deal about it not being legal, certainly is better than alcohol. But then at the same time I would hate to see what TPTB with do with it in the way of regulations and taxes if it were legal. Here ye California

S @ F

Originally posted by crazydaisy
Thanks for letting us know California is not giving up. I have taken care of cancer patients that had less side effects from chemo and radiation when marijuana was introduced. Even tho medical marijuana is not legal in the state where I did nursing, the patients doctors would tell them off the record to use marijuana. I don't understand the big deal about it not being legal, certainly is better than alcohol. But then at the same time I would hate to see what TPTB with do with it in the way of regulations and taxes if it were legal. Here ye California

S @ F

That mj enjoys de facto legalization in California oddly enough complicates advocates efforts. Under California's liberal medical mj laws most anyone can use it legally by claiming it makes them feel better. The law only requires that one can receive medical benefit from its use, and then they are allowed to grow their own for personal consumption or can purchase it at special medical clinics. There is a medical card that one needs in order to purchase and transport mj but by California law it is not required for the personal home user.

Now a conflict arises as California looks at recreational legalization. Current medical users view new mj laws as a potential threat to their informal manner of use under the current de facto tolerance. Further, the medical suppliers who are able to farm mj and distribute it are dead-set against anything that might interrupt their gravy-train. It is very likely that Californians would do best to do nothing. That is the debate there.

Overall, I believe we would all benefit worldwide from a lift of the prohibition ban on this plant. I myself am very anxious to have hemp textile and industrial products readibly available and accessible. I also look forward to the day here in Mexico when an end to the ban would eliminate the drug trafficking violence and unrest that has plagued our northern towns in this step-up of drug enforcement policies - these problems, though, I believe serves another more insidious agenda carried out to erode personal freedoms and turn a free-thinking populace into compliant and complacent herds.

it's a bit tragic that the medical marijuana lobby could be preventing this measure to legalize all marijuana use. The medical dispensaries should realize that since they were in the game to begin with, they have a head start against all the businesses that would like to participate if it was legal and free (is that too much to ask in a free democratic capitalistic society?). The goal is freedom not profit I hope they remember this lesson.

Originally posted by filosophia
it's a bit tragic that the medical marijuana lobby could be preventing this measure to legalize all marijuana use. The medical dispensaries should realize that since they were in the game to begin with, they have a head start against all the businesses that would like to participate if it was legal and free (is that too much to ask in a free democratic capitalistic society?). The goal is freedom not profit I hope they remember this lesson.

Unfortunately it seems that once profits enter into the picture all liberalism and integrity go down the drain. I am sure some of them in the growers/distribution game must remember why they were there in the first place. At some time most of us thought free access to the magic herb would be good for all. Now it's a matter of economics, same as has been keeping the lid shut for decades.